1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of amusement devices and more particularly to game nets suspended between external net supports with tension adjusting means.
2. Description of Related Art
Volleyball is a recreational activity that can be played either indoors or out of doors. Volleyball is very popular because it requires a very small playing area (regulation court is 60 feet by 30 feet) and because it requires very little playing apparatus. The only playing apparatus are a volleyball and a net to be extended between two teams and hung from some external support on its ends. Thus, because apparatus required to play the game is so minimal, many portable volleyball sets are available. One problem that arises with volleyball sets is that the net needs to be hung with very little sagging therein. Typical volleyball sets include standards or poles to which the net is secured by means of a kind of cord or a string. Tensioning the net is problematic because the net must be tied off at one end and then, while pulling against the weight of the net, it must be tied off at the other end. It is difficult to make a secure knot which will not slip or release tension in the net while pulling against the weight of the net. Also the method of securing the net must prevent the net from sliding down the supports to which it is attached. The present invention discloses a volleyball net including a self tension adjusting means designed to eliminate the problems of tying a net and to prevent sagging of the net. Thus, the invention disclosed in this application is an improvement over previous volleyball nets.
In addition to the typical type of volleyball net mentioned above, many variations have appeared and these are disclosed by the following group of patent references. Also disclosed by some of the following patents are various net securing devices. Each reference pertains in one way or another to volleyball nets or nets suspended between supports in general, though certain references are believed to be more relevant to the present invention than others.
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee ______________________________________ 4,239,235 Torres 4,253,671 Pace 4,457,513 Thompson 3,435,487 Mazzei 4,415,163 Schoenig 1.015.722 France 8785 Great Britain ______________________________________
Torres discloses a training device for football or for all games using a small or large ball. Torres may be relevant to the present application in that it discloses an inextensible net stretched between upright members with elastic means 5 attached to upright members and extending outward toward the net.
Pace discloses a pole structure for supporting a net for a field game. Pace discloses a fairly complex pole structure that has a system of pulleys and a length of elastic material 31 coupled at one end to allow stretching from a net and coupled at the other end to the bottom of the pole to maintain tension in the net.
Thompson discloses a rebound ball game and apparatus therefor. Thompson discloses a net with springs 62 attaching the net to some type of support member.
Mazzei discloses an athletic net stabilization. Mazzei includes resilient connectors arranged for attachment to one end of a rigid standard and for double attachment to net suspension ropes.
Schoenig discloses a portable volleyball apparatus. Shoenig discloses ties secured to induce resilient tension in the ties. This resilient tension is provided by rubber collars 52, 56, 62 and 64 being stretched.
The French Patent discloses a volleyball support, including some sort of tension device shown at element "E". The British Patent to Powers discloses the use of a spring "B", although the purpose is not clear.
Although the foregoing references disclose a variety of net tensioning means, it is to be noted that none reveal a volleyball net with elastic tensioning means fixedly attached to the net itself. The references cited fail to eliminate the problem of having to pull against the weight of the net while trying to tie off the net to the elastic means. As the elastic means in the invention disclosed herein is fixedly attached to the net and is capable of being secured immediately to a support, it is unlikely that sagging will arise. The invention disclosed in this application eliminates the need for any knots whatsoever and therefore eliminates the possibility of sagging due to slipping knots or the possibility of the net sliding down the pole due to a loose knot.
The elastic means contemplated for use in this invention consists of bungie cord which may be manufactured in large rolls, then cut to size and secured to the net by crimps. The elastic means of the disclosed references are molded rubber or metal springs which are more expensive to manufacture than bungie cord. Thus, the device disclosed in this application is an inexpensive solution to net tensioning.
Since the elastic means are permanently attached to the net, the possibility of lost apparatus is eliminated. In many of the disclosed references, the elastic means are not permanently attached to the net. Therefore, with the disclosed references, if the elastic means are misplaced or lost, expenditures of additional time or money are required to find or purchase elastic means. Thus it is clear that the device disclosed in the present application is novel and non-obvious in view of the cited references.